Jone Radaniva from Chester Hill who died when he was left in the back of a hot car.

Parenting

‘Misunderstanding’ led to baby car death

15th Feb 2019 12:31 PM

A DISTRAUGHT mum has said the "smallest misunderstanding" led to the death of heat baby boy when he was left forgotten in the back of a car on a blisteringly hot day.

Jone Radaniva, who was just 22 months, died in Chester Hill in Sydney's south west on 3 February as temperatures outside rose to more than 35C.

He was left alone in the car for at least two hours before his eight-year-old sister checked the car and found him unresponsive.

Mum Samantha Rowlands has spoken about how the tragedy unfolded.

She was not looking after her kids at the time and arrived at the scene screaming "my baby" when little Jone's body was discovered.

Police are not pressing charges.

Samantha Rowlands and her son Jone who died after being unattended in the back of the family car. Picture: Facebook

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Rowlands said she had left her six children with her mother Valerie while she attended a football game. After taking the kids out, the grandmother had asked Jone's sister to take him out of the car while another son took care of the other children.

As the family was unloaded and began playing in the garden Valerie went for a lie down from the heat.

But there was confusion about who was looking after which child and where they all were.

"My daughter told me she thought Jone was in bed with my mum, and my mum thought he was out the back playing until my daughter came inside looking for him and they realised he was missing," Ms Rowlands said.

Her young daughter went on a mission to find Jone.

"My daughter told me she felt so happy because she thought she was going to go find her little brother and save him," she said.